Rear Ballast Weight DIY Build

[ns_in_tex]

I hooked up the rear ballast today, and took it for a spin.

Right away, just driving down my driveway, I noticed a huge improvement in the ride. It was less bouncy and more comfortable.

I went to a dirt pile that had been there for awhile. I've gotten dozens of bucket loads of dirt from there, but never this easily. It just seemed like I had unlimited power. Zero rear wheel spin, and the tractor just gripped the ground like nothing could stop it!!!!

With a full load of dirt in the loader bucket, I drove to where I had take out some trees yesterday, and started to fill the holes from the root balls. It was angling downhill, and this is where I've had all my issues. A full loader bucket going downhill would lift my rear tires off the ground.

I was glued to the ground. It was more stable, more solid, more comfortable then I ever thought possible. The rear ballast has made my tractor more fun to use, and more powerful, if that's possible. It just goes and goes. There isn't any bounce at all, and I never felt like it was tippy, or scary. I was pointing down hill, and I would even get on weird side angles without any issues.

I'm impressed!!!

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Eddie, I think you will wonder why you didn't do this many years ago. We have built 3 rear weights over the years using 55 gal barrels, filled with concrete. Made a few improvements along the way. One thing, I have not seen mentioned which might be beneficial. We store ours on a harbor freight car dolly, with a little extra added on top. This requires it to be stored on a concrete slab, but I can move it enough (by hand) to connect or disconnect, without having to move the tractor. Also use one of them for a front weight on our big tractor, so can use the 3 point hitch instead of drawbar when pulling a 2-1/2 yard dirt mover. Makes the dirt mover much more productive.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, I think you will wonder why you didn't do this many years ago.

It's funny, but I've read more posts about rear ballast on here then I can count, and never understood the need. I have a full size backhoe, and the weight of the hoe was my ballast, so I never understood the need for more weight until now.

What surprised me is how much better the ride is just driving on flat ground!!!!

 

[EddieWalker]

My wife talked me into posting video's on YouTube, which has been challenging. I'm slowly trying to figure it all out, but I still don't know what I'm doing. Here is the YouTube video that I made of my Rear Ballast Build.

 

[Gord Baker]

I've come to the realization that my new Massey Ferguson 4707 tractor needs some weight in it's rear when I'm moving dirt on my land. It's really bad when I'm going downhill and stopping before dumping the bucket. It feels like the tractor wants to flip over, and a few times, I'm positive that one or both of the rear tires have come off the ground.

Rear wheel weights are my first choice, but for just a couple hundred pounds, the prices are ridiculous. I haven't contacted my dealer, I just looked online, and it's over a grand for something that really isn't heavy enough in my opinion.

My next option is a ballast box. I saw some online that where made of metal and you fill them up with concrete, or whatever else you want to use. They seem to be OK, but the cost is $225 to over $350. That might not be a bad deal. I'm still thinking on that. My tractor has Cat 2 pins, so I would need bushings, which I have, or I could replace the pins. I'm just a bit nervous about the metal that the pins are attached to, and if they will hold up over time? and if the metal will start to rust and then the concrete inside will begin to move around?

Amazon.com

Then there is the low cost option of making my own ballast box from a plywood frame around a 3 point hitch. I kind of like this idea the best. To me, the concrete would have something to hold onto instead of being in a metal box that might rust out, or fall apart. The pins are attached to solid metal that goes through the middle of the box, which seems a lot stronger to me. At $52, I don't see how I can buy the metal and weld something together for this price. With free delivery, it seems like a no brainer.

Amazon.com

What am I missing or over thinking?

I used a Plastic barrel with the Top cut off. I got a full length drawbar that fitted the width and forced the pins through holes drilled.
Filled it 3/4 full with concrete. A top link connection with appropriate hole size was added and well anchored. Chain and Clevis could be added for that, one end bolted to drawbar. The top of the ballast can be used for storage of chain etc.
IT worked well on a small/Medium size JD.

 

[EddieWalker]

In hindsight, I probably would of saved some time using a barrel. But now that it's done, I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I'm looking forward to painting it and making it look like it's a real implement.

Do you know what a full barrel of concrete weighs?

 

[LD1]

Do you know what a full barrel of concrete weighs?

A full barrel ~60gal capacity filled to the brim would be about 1200#

 

[chim]

Steel drum. Extra drawbar. Vertical pipes for rakes, shovels, etc. Lower horizontal "header" to swab out whatever falls into the vertical pipes. Milk case for smaller stuff. For occasional relocation a choker is dropped down a pipe and a crowbar or whatever is at hand is inserted into the horizontal pipe through one eye on the choker.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I built mine, I couldn't think of any reason to put pipes into it for carrying anything. Last weekend, I was moving dirt, and the wet clay was sticking to my bucket. If I had a flat shovel with me, I could of cleaned it out easily. OOPS

 

[old and tired]

When I built mine, I couldn't think of any reason to put pipes into it for carrying anything. Last weekend, I was moving dirt, and the wet clay was sticking to my bucket. If I had a flat shovel with me, I could of cleaned it out easily. OOPS

You can use anchor bolts drilled into the sides to mount PVC pipe, with end caps. Drill a small hole to drain water.

My 1st barrel has pipes for shovels that filled with rain water. I didn't plan for any drain systems so I was able to pull the pipes and add more concrete.

 

[EddieWalker]

That's a good idea. A flat shovel would come in real handy for cleaning out my loader bucket, and having a place that's out of the way to store it would be ideal!!!